It sounds like a case of Succession bumping headlong into David Cronenberg.
“When the wealthy patriarch of a notorious family dies, his dysfunctional family are summoned for the reading of his will, only to find themselves ensnared in a darkly comedic trial that promises to turn their quest for inheritance into a fight for survival.”
And that’s the intriguing premise behind a new film which is being shot by Crow House Projects, a north-east organisation headed by Nicci Thompson and Jamie Sundance, which aims to put Aberdeen firmly at the centre of the movie-making world.
What’s more, the duo’s latest work is being shot partly inside the famous Town House building, which is normally the home of local politicians and party chicanery.
Cynics might respond that’s a horror film in its own right, but Nicci and Jamie have a far more upbeat attitude to their ambitions in the entertainment industry.
Crow House was originally established before the Covid pandemic and, after receiving grants from Aberdeen City Council, its founding members worked on a number of narrative projects with a group of committed volunteers.
They were successful in raising £40,000 of Government funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, via the council, and this has enabled them to run two cohorts where participants progress through a series of masterclasses before putting their skills and knowledge to the test in working on a short narrative film over a five-day production.
‘An overwhelming thirst for more’
Nicci said: “We are filming in the Town House in the days ahead and we are all incredibly excited at the prospect. Around 40-50 volunteers have been and will be involved in the making of this project.
“In March, we held an open night at RGU and more than 100 people came along to register interest which shows an overwhelming thirst for more.
Collaboration and co-operation are the cornerstones for Crow House and both men spoke passionately about the different people and authorities who have boosted them.
Jamie said: “The council’s endorsement of our vision has been pivotal, complemented by encouragement from industry leaders across the city.
“We’re privileged to have Derrick Thomson of Our Union Street project as our chairman, while our sessions at Aberdeen Art Centre, hosted by Amy Liptrott, have been a cornerstone of our efforts, as is our continued partnership with RGU.”
There has been plenty of talk about the cultural excellence which exists throughout the region, and the best way of bringing it together in a coherent structure.
Finally, Crow House are proving that such big ideas aren’t strictly for the birds.
‘We could have the next Scorsese in the city’
As Nicci said: “We want to continue to grow and thrive, because we need to harness our creative talent and support their need to create.
“We lose far too much of it to other cities with better creative infrastructure and that needs to change.”
Nicci added: “We could have the next Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan or Steven Spielberg in the city, and not even know it.
“We can’t allow that to happen!”
